What Are Your Core Beliefs and Why Are They So Important to Uncover?

When you first dig up the festering mess of your core beliefs from the depths of your being you either fall to your knees in agonized recognition or snicker in absolute disbelief.

The truth is that inner work is not always a “feel good” or clean and sanitary journey. We all want to quickly arrive at the destination of self-love. We all want to relax in the sanctuary of warmth and healing that comes with the development of inner peace. In fact, often we believe that we have finally arrived to the end of our healing journey, when in reality we have so much more inner work to do.

If you have read up to this point, I think it is safe to say that you are having some doubts. You might be experiencing confusion or disappointment about your journey as well as a lot of unexpected setbacks right now. If so, I can empathize with you because I have experienced this sense of disorientation, disillusionment and frustration as well many times in my life.

Your Core Beliefs are Surprising

Just when you think you have a pretty good idea of who you are … some other miserly thing raises its ugly head …

Have you ever experienced this before? Most of us have at some point in our lives, and I believe this is because of the way we approach our self-healing in the first place.

I’ve made a pretty serious mistake on my path. I’ve approached my healing from the outside-in. I have changed my diet, my daily routines, my nasty habits, and I have changed pretty much anything I could find that was detrimental to my health in the outside world. It’s actually quite enjoyable to pick up on bad habits once you enter the journey of self-love and replace them with much better alternatives. It’s like playing I-spy-with-my-little-eye – with your life. And don’t get me wrong; it is very beneficial.

But the truth is that this is the easy path. Starting your journey from the outside-in is useful, but in the end it tends to trick you into believing that you are a “truly” self-loving person; that your journey of self-love has ended.

Fixing your life solely from the outside is a limited path; it will only get you so far. Because after you take care of your body, your skin, your diet, your environment and everything else that impacts you in the external world … what then? Soon you will find that you are continuing to feel miserable, you are continuing to torture yourself with shame, guilt, self-pity and self-destructive behaviors. Soon you will feel as though you are back at square one again.

But there is hope, and this hope lies in taking a completely different path: the path that starts within you first. This is the hard path, but it is ultimately the most rewarding because it helps you to put an end to your self-imposed suffering.

To start this path you must be willing to put up with a great deal of discomfort. You must be willing to find the truth at all costs. Only then will you be able to uncover the deeply held core beliefs inside of you that are at the very root of your pain.

And let me tell you … you’ll be surprised by what you discover!

Examples of Core Beliefs to Look Out For

A core belief is not an everyday garden variety belief that pops up spontaneously – it is the mother of all beliefs, the big kahuna of suffering and the king or queen of your own personal underworld.

Often we are completely unaware of what our core belief/s are (even if we think we are “conscious”!) and it is quite common to disbelieve their existence. As I mentioned at the beginning; discovering your core beliefs will either make you fall to your knees or brush them off with absolute disbelief. But the truth is that we all have core beliefs and we are all manipulated by them.

“But I’m a spiritual person: I’ve dedicated so many years to self-improvement!”

Maybe so. But if you’re still continuing to suffer, chances are that you haven’t done the dirty work of taking a pickaxe to your mind first.

In fact, I once used the same justification to avoid the fact that I had (and still have) some very real, very harmful core problems. Eventually I’ve learned the hard way. Thanks to the constant re-emergence of a guilt complex I have, I’ve discovered two main core beliefs I have about myself:

I am not worthy of happiness.

I deserve to be punished.

And these were completely shocking, but undeniably and tragically true!

Here are some other examples of common core beliefs that we hide inside:

I am irredeemably flawed.

I am unlovable.

I am bad.

I am stupid.

I am worthless.

I am a loser.

I don’t deserve good things.

I am a failure.

I am weak.

I am not enough.

I don’t matter.

I am boring.

I am crazy and unstable.

I can’t be fixed.

I always hurt people.

I always hurt myself.

I have no hope.

I am evil/sinful.

I am unwanted.

I am invisible.

I am a mistake.

I am helpless.

I am ugly.

I am shameful.

I am uninteresting.

I will die alone.

This list only displays a sample of the many possible core beliefs that could exist within you. Also remember that we usually have more than one core belief operating behind the scenes.

Uncovering Your Core Beliefs

In another article I will discuss how to replace your core beliefs with beliefs that sustain and promote your well-being rather than perpetuate self-abuse.

Before doing this however, it is really important that you uncover as many core beliefs within you as possible. Here are a few helpful things to remember as you begin this new journey:

Keep a journal or find a way to record the thoughts you have about yourself and other people during the day. Next to each thought ask “Why?” or the questions, “Why is that so bad/Why is that so important?” Keep asking these questions until you reach a core answer. For example, you might write, “I hate how my friend keeps interrupting me.” Why is that so bad? “Because I want to be listened to.” Why? “Because I want to be cared for.” Why? “Because I feel like no one cares about what I have to say.” Why is that so important? “Because I feel alone and worthless.” From this we can ascertain that the core beliefs would be, “I am worthless” and/or “I am alone.”

Be brutally honest (painful, but imperative).

Whenever you experience a flux in emotion, pay attention!

Before going to sleep, be aware of what your thoughts dwell on.

***

As you walk the difficult but deeply fulfilling path of uncovering your core beliefs, remember that some are more persistent than others. It is common for some core beliefs to fluctuate with your emotions – look out for these – but also look out for those that emerge even when you aren’t feeling emotional (these are often the deeper, more serious core beliefs).

Any of your own personal discoveries regarding core beliefs are welcomed below!

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About Aletheia Luna

Aletheia Luna is an influential psychospiritual writer whose work has changed the lives of thousands of people worldwide. After escaping the religious sect she was raised in, Luna experienced a profound existential crisis that led to her spiritual awakening. As a spiritual counselor, diviner, and author, Luna's mission is to help others become conscious of their entrapment and find joy, empowerment, and liberation in any circumstance. [Read More]

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I’d like to express my gratitude for your offerings Sol & Luna. You do truly offer something unique and refreshing that I haven’t found elsewhere. I was a little frustrated when you would listen to a podcast or whatever and be told about doing “the work” – and you guys are one of the few places that actually spell out what “the work” actually is – and without charging like a raging bull for it! I think I’ve done a pretty good job with my development so far, but I’m so impressed with your work that I intend to look into all of this again to see if there is any more “work” to do. It’s an ongoing process IMHO. Love and gratitude to you both.

At times I feel this work is overwhelming. There is so much stuff, or rather the dragon is so big. Taking a small step each day, making sure I trip as little as possible. Then I raise my eyes and in the far far distance the dragon is sleeping. I really want to get there, then it is soo faar. But I cant stop walking towards it. I really really want to meet himshe. I want to reach her and awake her from her sleep I want too ride his back and roar fire, and share my wisdom where it is needed. Why am I walking this path? I dont know, I dont even remember how I ended up here. Going back seems impossible, amd when I look behind me all I see is a twisting void of nothingness. Am I fleeing? Do I hope to combat the void with the dragon? Or do I want to fly through it with the dragon? I really dont know, for now I want to the dragon. And I know myself well enough, I will not stop here.

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Walk the path less traveled

Our names are Aletheia Luna and Mateo Sol and we currently live in Perth, Western Australia.

Our mission is to help others embrace the path of the lone wolf and listen to the soul’s calling. Our goal is to provide a grounded and balanced perspective of spirituality that doesn’t bypass the raw, real, and messy aspects of spiritual growth or psychological development.

We are deeply drawn to exploring and exposing both the light and shadow side of human nature and spirituality. We strive towards integration, balance, wholeness, and embracing both the sacred and wild aspects of being human. Read more.